Speed control for imbibition apparatus



March 5, 1929. J. F. KIENNINGER 1,704,323

SPEED CONTROL FOR IMBIBITION APPARATUS Filed May 2'7, 192'? 5Sheets-Sheet l fizvenior fokn/l fliennz'n/ e7" March 5, 1929. J. F.KIENNINGER SPEED CONTROL FOR IMBIBITION APPARATUS Filed May 27, 1927 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Jim/en Z0 d/az/lllienn 7172; er 59W MM- W J Jiffy-5 March5, 1929. F, KIENNlNGER 1,704,328

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J. F. KIENNINGER SPEED CONTROL FOR IMBIBITION APPARATUS cJ OknZZf'inn/in 5 W M 5 Sheets-Sheet fizz/e 71/2 50?" R ww Filed May 27, 1927n A m3 Rh k Rm Patented Mar. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. KIENNINGER, OF NORTH CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR, RYMESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TECHNICOLOR MOTION PICTURE CORPORATION, 015BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

SPEED CONTROL FOR IMBIBITION APPARATUS.

Application filed May 27,

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for printingcinematographic films and the like, and more especially for effectingand controlling the regulated sequential movement of the matrix film andfilm to be printed, and the backing means therefore, without relativemovement or distortion.

In the printing of cinematographic films,

by imbibition it has been proposed (co-pending application of Daniel F.(lomstock, Serial No. 194,641, filed May 27, 1927) to rovide a matrixfilm bearing the images to lie reproduced, which is wet with a suitabledye and then brought into face contact with a similar 1 blank film, suchcontact being preferably effected under water and maintained for asuflicient time to permit complete imbibition of the dye from the matrixfilm to the blank film to take place. The films are registered 29 andthus retained in contact for the required interval by providing abacking strip (as with pins thereon for engagement with marginalsprocket holes in the films) which conveys a the films in fixed Contactrelationship through a predetermined path, followed by separation of thefilms from the backing and from each other and other suitable orappropriate treatment. For example, the backing strip repeating thecourse of a closed circuit, the succeedso ing treatments may include thematrix film being washed, de-croceinated, (that is, cleared from anyresidual deposits of dye or color substance) dried, and reeled up, andthe printed blank. also being dried and reeled up or rewet and passedthrough one or more similar printing operations, if desired, as for theprovision of remaining portions of the images in other or complementalcolors with respect to those already applied.

In the conduct of such operations, it is essential that the films shallbe restrained from relative movement after they have been brought intoregistry and/or contact with each other and also that the stresses andstrains transmitted to thefilm longitudinally shall be equalized so faras may be possible, both during the period of imbibition contact andbefore and after such contact has been effected. In the handling ofstrips of the length. frequently encountered with cinema films it isdesirable that they sh all be conveyed at a relatively uniform rate (forthe pur-' poses of convenient handling and of uniform printingtreatment) and that the rate of one 1927. Serial No. 194,840.

shall synchronize with or substantially equal the rate of the other. Onthe other hand it is usually desirable that the rate oftravel of thefilms,v particularly during the imbibition period, shall be maintainedrelatively constant, so that the imbibition period with respect tosuccessive portions of the films shall be substantially the same.Moreover, it is further desirable that such control shall beautomatically effected and maintained.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a method foraccomplishing the conditions of operation above set forth and to providemeans or apparatus whereby the same may be practically and easilycarried out. Other objects of the invention will appear from thefollowing disclosure and claims.

A typical and representative instance of the application of theinvention will be described with respect to its adaptation for theimbibition printing of cinematographic films as carried out by means ofapparatus shown in the accompanying drawings, of which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two printing units R and G arranged sinparallel and adapted for successive printing of a film in complementalcolors;

Fig. 2 is a dia rammatic elevation of the units R and G of B ig. 1, oneunit (R for printin in red) being shown above the other unit (r forprinting in green) to illustrate the suc- 1c)essive sequence ofoperations efi'ected there- Fig. 3 is an enlarged elevation of thedrying and reeling portion of the apparatus shown at the left end ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4. is a longitudinal cross section of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3taken centrally of the front unit (R) and also showing parts .of therear unit G;

Fig. 5 is a cross section in the plane of line 55 of Fig. 4 in thedirection of the arrows;-

Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross section of the apparatus extending to theright of that shown in Fig. 4;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged plan view of the driving mechanism shown at thetop of Fig". 3; and

,Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawings, and more especially Figs. 1 and 2, theapparatus shown consists generally of two units designated as R and G,which are substantially identical and adapted to be operated in stepwith each other to print a cinematographic film, first ranged inparallel, so that, as shown in Fig.

I 1 the unit R (for printing in red) stands in front of and obscures theunit G while in the diagrammatic representation of Fig. 2 the unit B israised above the rear unit G, ,to disclose the latter and to moreclearly illustrate the operative relationship between the two units. v v

In the drawings, numeral 1 indicates generally an extended frame work,associated With suitable chambers, tanks, etc, and supporting anddriving apparatus, for the unit R, while numeral 4 indicates a similarframework with respect to the unit G. Numeral 2indicates the film stripto be printed which passes through both units, first in contact with redprinting matrix film 3 and then with green matrix film 5. The unit R isprovided with a pre-wetting tank of water 6, for the blank film 2 and adye-wetting tank 7, for the matrix film, followed by a water tank 8, inwhich the films come together, having guide or compression rollers 9,10, therein. A conveyor belt 11 preferably continuous and provided withsuitable means (not shown in detail) for engaging the sprocket holes ofthe films, passes over driving pulley 12, idler pulleys 14, 15, andunder pulley 13 in the tank 8. At the end of the belt traverse isprovided an off-take pulley 16 for the printed film, and an off-takepulley 160 for the matrix film 3. Following the latter and to receivethe matrix therefrom is provided a decroceinating tank so-called 17 foraffecting removal of the residual dye, a washing tank 18 and a dryingchamber 19, and also a drying chamber 20, which is followed by agathering reel 26 (Figs. 1 and 4). Following the oft take pulley 160 isprovided a drying conduit 190 for the printedfilm, leading to dryingchamber and thence (by means of apparatus subsequently to be described)to and through the apparatus constituting unit G. Unit G issubstantially identical with unit R, commencing with water tank (6') andending with the gathering reel (27 However, while matrix film 3, is fedinto the unit R from reel 30 a separate matrix film 5 is used in unit Gwhich is complemental with respect to the color or images or otherfactors, of the representation to be printed.

The elements of unit G will be hereinafter referred to by the samenumerals as like elements of the unit R, a prime being added thereto forpurposes of differentiation, though in some instances the element ofunit B may obscure or cover the corresponding element of unit- G.

The driving impetus of the apparatus as a whole is primarily transmittedto the conveyor belt orbackin 11, through driving pulley 12 in the unitT (and driving pulley 12 directly in the rear thereof in Fig. 6) but isshown only in part. Pulley 12 is driven by a constant speed motorthrough a transmission belt 36, a worm gear 37 and connecting clutch 38.The other pulley 12 is driven by a variable speed motor 39 actingthrough similar transmission belt 36, gear 37 and connecting clutch 38.

Turning now to the driving mechanism for reeling the blank film andmatrix films, shown at the top of Fig. 3, but more particularly in Figs.7 and 8, the parts are numbered in consecutive order Without regard tothe unit R or G with which it may be more closely associated. The motor40 (mounted above unit G) and motor 41 (mounted above unit R) arecontained on and within a framework 42. However, the motor 40, which isgeared to shaft 43 through gears 44 and worm gear 45, serves to drivethe matrix gathering apparatus of unit B. To this end, a terminal bevelgear 49 is provided, meshing with a like bevel gear 50 mounted upon thesame axis with sprocket wheel 51. The latter carriesa chain 52 whichpasses over sprocket 53 on reel 26, which serves to gather matrix film 3from unit R (F igsf2 and 3).

Motor 41 is likewise connected to a shaft 57 through gears 58 and Wormgear 59. The shaft 57 is received in a bearing 60 near the right end andalso is supported by a bearing 61 adjacent the worm gear 59 and aterminal bearing 62 near the opposite end. The right end of shaft 57 isprovided with a bevel gear 63, meshing with bevel gear 65 onthe axis ofsprocket wheel 67 while the left end of the shaft carries a bevel gear64 meshing with a bevel gear 66 on the axis of sprocket wheel 68.Sprocket chain 72 passes over the sprocket wheel 68 and over sprocketwheel 73 on reel 26 which serves to gather matrix film 5 from the unitG.

The sprocket wheel 67 (at the right of Fig. 7) carries sprocket chain69, passing over sprocket wheel on reel 27 and also over pulley 71, andthus provides for originally gathering the blank film 2 (after it hasbeen printed by passing through both units R and v The shaft 57 isfurther provided with a bevel gear 74, meshing with a bevel gear 75 onthe axis of sprocket wheel 76.

The chamber 20 (Figs. 3 and 4) is supported by uprights 77 and comprisestwo inlets one for the film 2 which is being printed, as it comes fromdrying conduit 190, and one for the matrix film 3, as it comes fromdrying conduit 19, comprising several compartments, 79, verticallyarranged and opening each into the next. Alternately, at the top andbottom of these compartments, are provided appropriate rollers orpulleys 80, 81, on cross bars82, 83, respectively, and

intermediate floating pulleys or pulley blocks 84. The first mentionedopening from chamber 190 is provided with pulleys 85 to direct the filmto be printed (2) between passes. fixed pulley 86 conducts the printedfilm to the second unit of the apparatus, while a floating pulley orblock 87 with weight 88 rides on the film between pulleys 85 and 86. Acord 89 attached to the block 87 (Fig. 5) leads over pulleys 90 to oneend of control lever 91 which is attached through hell crank lever 92and link 94 to an armature brush control lever 93 on the motor, 39. Thelever 91 also is associated with a counterweight 95 on arm 96, tendingto oppose the positive actuation of the lever and to return it to abalanced position.

One of the floating pulleys 84 (Fig. 3) may be provided with weight 97and a vertically extending rod 98 reaching upwardly to horizontal lever99 which is attached to axis 100 carried by a support 101 and attachedat its opposite end to control lever 102 on motor 40, through the lever103 and link 104. The axis 100 also is attached to a horizontal arm 105with adjustable counterweight, 106, held in position by a screw or nut.

Passing over sprocket wheels attached to the axes of the upper series ofrollers 80 is a sprocket chain 107- engaging the driving sprocket wheel56 and idler sprocket wheels 108. A similar length of the sprocket chain109 engages sprocket wheel 76 and idler 108 and sprocket wheels on theaxes of the corresponding rollers or pulleys 80 in the unit G! Thecompartment 79, (Fig. ,4) and intervening compartments of chamber 20 aresepfilm and drying gases.

'ment-may be connected to an air .conduit 117 arated by verticalpartitions 115 which stop short of'the top and bottom of the chamber 20,leaving passageways from each to the next which may be rounded off bysemicircular walls 116 to form a continuous path for the The firstcompartwhile the last compartriient is left open, as'at 119, to providean exit for the air current.

The driving pulley 12 is positively driven by operation of cogitantspeed motor 35 as will be obvious from FigTG. This draws the pre-wetblank 2 and the printing matrix 3 into the apparatus from theirrespective reels 27 and 30, respectively, at a substantially constantrate.

As the film blank 2, already printed in red, leaves conduit 190 itpasses under lower pulley- 85 over upper pulley 85 under the free pulley87 and thence over fixed pulley 86 to the pre-wetting water tank 6. Inthis intermediate zone the film provides a certain amount of slack whichmay serve to accommodate any difi'erences in operation of the two unitsR andG and also at the outset to permit accurate registry of the film 2with the second matrix film 5. After the printing with the second matrixfilm has commenced, how- A the film on the one hand or rupture of thefilm on the other. The floating pulley 87 rides upon a loop of thisslack portion of film 2, between the two units. Its rise and fall is ameasure respectively, of the gain or loss in speed of operation of thesecond unitG over the first. Accordingly, as pulley 87 rises cord 89 isreleased and control lever 93 is allowed to fall back under the weightof ball 95 and thus to slow down the motor 39. Conversely, if the pulley87 falls, cord 89 is drawn up, raising lever 93 and thus speeding up themotor 39, and hence speeding up the rate of travel of belt 11 in unit G.If it remains stationary, the two units are functioning at an equal rateof speed with respect to the film blank.

pulley 12 and thus speeds up the rate of travel of conveyor belt orbacking 11, taking up any accumulated excess of film delivered to it bybelt 11. Conversely, when the motor 39 is slowed up (by reduction ofslack film between the two units) the rate of rotation of the pulley 12is reduced and the amount of intermediate slack film restored, since therate at which film 2 is delivered to it is under con stant operation ofmotor 35.

After the film 2 has passed through unit G' (under actuation of belt 11'driven by pulley 12', see Fig. 2) it passes from conduit 190 overpulleys 85 similar to ulleys 85', already described, thence underflbating pulley 87 and thence over fixed pulley 71 to reel 27.

The reel 27 is operated directly through sprocket chain 69, passing overs rocket wheels and 67, by the motor 40. he latter also operates therollers through sprocket 108 and gathering reel 26 through sprockets 52for taking up the matrix film 3 coming from unit R. The speed of this'1notor is controlled by the rate at which the matrix film accumulatesor is taken up in the drying chamber 20, as indicated by the rise andfall of rod 98 which has already been described.

Likewise the motor 41, controlled by similar speed indicating andregulating device (not shown) and acting through lever 99 drives rollers80' (not shown) through sprocket chain 109, and sprocket chain 72passing over sprocket 73, also drives reel 26'.

In this manner, the matrix film 3 and blank film 2 are drawn into unit Rof the apparatus at a uniform and equal rate, upon the conveyor belt 11,upon which they are retained in fixed contact relationship until theblank film is separated and passed through conduit 19 and thence overthe regulating mechanism (controlling motor 39) which has been describedand which prevents continued gain or loss in the amount of blank fihnbetween the two units. It is then passed to the second unit G, the rateof which is governed by the control apparatus just referred to,-retur11ing through conduit 190 (behind conduit 190 but not shown) and thenceover rolls 85 and 71 to gathering reel 27 which is driven by motor 40,controlled in step with the gathering of the matrix film 3, to bedescribed.

As a result of the slight fluctuations of the rate at which the filmblank 2 may be carried through the apparatus, the matrix film 3 ispassed to chamber 20 at a slightly varying rate.

This may be due to slight variations in length of the film as well as tomechanical irregularities of the apparatus. The matrix film 3 as it isremoved from the carrier belt 11, over pulley 16 and thence through thecourse already described accumulates and transmits such variations inspeed to the floating pulley 84: and raises or lowers the sameaccordingly. This vertical movement is transmitted by rod 98 tohorizontal bar 99 (balanced by counterweight 106) and, acting throughlever 103, link 104 and control lever 102, slows down or speeds up motor40, thus correcting such deviations from a speed corresponding to thespeed at which the film comes from conveyor belt 11 and the speed atwhich it is taken up upon the reel 26, and

tending to insure synchronism or equality of the rate of operation inthe several parts of the apparatus.

Similar or identical control means are pro vided in the chamber 20 ofthe unit G, to control the speed of motor 41 and hence the rate at whichmatrix film 5 is taken up by the reel 26.

As thus operated, the-apparatus is automatically controlled to conductthe films through their several paths at a predetermined rate and atspeeds so regulated as to compensate for variations in thecharacteristic of the films and irregularities in operation of theseparate parts or units of the apparatus, so that it functions as awhole.

It will be readily understood that numerous modifications andadaptations of the method and apparatus may be made in the method ofprocedure and in the equipment employed and that substitutions andadditional features may be appended thereto, within the invention heredisclosed. Such modifications are however, to be considered ascomprehended by the above description and included by the terms of thefollowing claims.

I claim:

1. A method for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films, whichcomprises pass ing a blank film into imbibition contact with a matrixfilm, conducting the contacting films through a predetermined path,separating the films, thereafter contacting the thus printed film inregistry with a second matrix film,

conducting the thus contacting films through a predetermined path,separating the films, gathering the separated matrix and printed films,and controlling the rate of movement of the films in step with therelative speed of the portion of the printed film intermediate theprinting steps.

2. A method for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films, whichcomprises passing a blank film into imbibition contact with a matrixfilm, conducting the contacting films through a predetermined path,separating the printed and matrix films, thereafter contacting theprinted film in registry with a second matrix film, conducting the thuseontacting films through a second predetermined path, separating thefilms, and controlling the rate of movement of the films through thesecond path in step with the relative speed of the film to be treatedintermediate the printing steps.

3. A method for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films, whichcomprises passing a blank film into imbibition contact with a matrixfilm, conducting the contactin films through a. predetermined path, at asiibstantially constant rate of speed, separating the printed and matrixfilms, thereafter contacting the printed film in registry with a secondmatrix film, conducting the thus contacting films through a secondpredetermined path. separating the films, and controlling the rate ofmovement of the films through the second path in step with the relativespeed of the film to be treated intermediate the printing steps.

4. A method for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films, whichcomprises passing a blank film into imbibition contact with a matrixfilm, conducting the contacting films through a predeteri'nined path,separating the printed and matrix films, thereafter contacting theprinted film in registry with a second matrix film, conducting the thuscontacting films through a second predetermined path, separating thefilms, and controlling the rate of movement of the films through thesecond path in step with the relative speed of the film to be treatedintermediate the printing steps and finally gathering the printed filmat a rate, in step with the rate at which the second matrix film isseparated from the printed blank.

A method for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films, whichcomprises passing a blank film into imbibition contact with a matrixfilm, conducting the contacting films through a predetermined path,separating the films and thereafter contacting the printed film inregistry with a second matrix film, conducting the thus contacting filmsthrough a predetermined path, and controlling the rate of movement ofthe films in step with the relative speed of the film to be treatedintermediate the printing steps, separating the films, after the secondprinting, and finally gathering the printed film and matrix films at arate, in step with the rate at which one of the matrix films isseparated from the printed blank.

6. Apparatus for printing cinematographic films, comprising a continuousconveyor, means for superposing a matrix film and blank film to beprinted upon the conveyor, in registered contact, means for removing andseparating the films, means for gathering the matrix film, means fortransferring the printed film to and through subsequent steps oftreatment, and control means for regulating the rate of gathering saidfilm in step.

with the means for gathering the matrix film.

7. Apparatus for printing cinematographic films comprising a pluralityof continuous conveyor means,.severally including means for superposinga matrix film and a blank film to be printed therefrom, means forconveying the same through a predetermined path and means for thereafterseparating the same,-means for. conducting the intervening portion ofprinted blank film continuously from each conveyor to and into contactwith the matrix film on the next conveyor, and means for controlling theoperation of the apparatus in step with the speed of said interveningsection of the film to be printed.

8. Apparatus for printing cinematographic films comprising a pluralityof continuous conveyor means, severally including means for superposinga matrix film and a blank film to be printed, means for conveying thesame through a predetermined path and means for thereafter separatin thesame, means for conducting the printed blank film continuously from oneof said conveyors into contact with the matrix film on the nextconveyor, and means for controlling the operation of the second conveyorin step with the speed of the intervening section of said film to beprinted.

9. Apparatus for the imbibition printing of cinematographic films,comprising a lurality of conveyor means, severally inclu in means forsuperposing a matrix film an blank film in registered contact, means forconveying the same through a predetermined path, means for conductingthe blank film from the first of said conveyor to the second conveyor.means for severally gathering the matrix films coming from saidconveyors, and means for controlling the speed of the second conveyorand of said gathering means in step with the speed of one of the matrixfilms.

Signed by me at Boston, Massachusetts, this ninth day of May, 1927.

JOHN F. KIENNINGER.

